Joey Reyes: Today’s new directors have an easier time
Writer-director Joey Reyes believes today’s directors are luckier than those who came before them.
“They have it so much easier (now). All you have to do is have a camera and a laptop and you can make movies,” he said in an interview at the screening of of the restored version of “Oro Plata Mata” at Robinson’s Galleria on Wednesday, November 28.
He added that it’s easy to be called “direk,” but it’s hard to prove one deserves the title.
Movie vs film
A movie, he added, is different from a film.
“Movies are manufactured, films are created. That says it all. A movie is not any different from a doughnut, but a film (comes from a) gourmet. There’s nothing wrong with a doughnut but then there’s more nutrition (from a dish prepared by a gourmet) when it is so artistically done.”
[Related: Cinema One Originals presents biggest lineup]
He emphasized that Filipino filmmakers must address their countrymen’s needs first.
“We don’t need directors who are churned out of a system. But we need directors who can prove themselves artists as well as Filipinos. When you do a film, you make sure to address the Filipino audience. You don’t do films for film festivals abroad.”
He is happy classic films are being restored and filmmakers who have contributed a lot to the industry are being honored.
“This is a great chance for them to see that ‘Hey guys, you wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the (Lino) Brockas and (Peque) Gallagas.’ You are part of the tradition. Anybody who does not recognize his tradition will not be able to succeed in finding who he is.”
‘Oro, Plata, Mata’
Direk Joey revealed that “Oro Plata Mata,” which he wrote when he was 27, depicted what being a Filipino meant.
“It talks about what has been lost in the Filipino spirit because of the Second World War, how we changed so much, how the brutality in the Second World War lost the Filipino spirit, which we never regained.”
[View photos: Cinema One Originals Festival 2012 line up]
He observed that its director, Peque Gallaga, never compromised his craft.
“Peque’s biggest asset became his liability. His biggest asset is that he held on to his identity as a filmmaker, he didn’t compromise to commercialism.”
“Oro, Plata, Mata” opened the Cinema One Originals film festival.
Other films featured in the event are “Mariposa sa Hawla ng Gabi,” “Mater Dolorosa,” “Baybayin,” “Ang Paglalakbay ng mga Bituin sa Gabing Madilim,” “Catnip,” “Melodrama Negra,” “Slumber Party,” “Pascalina,” “Anak Araw,” “Edsa XXX,” “Aberya,” “Palitan” and “Mamay Umeng.”
The Cinema One Originals Film Festival runs from November 28 to December 9 at Robinson’s Galleria and from November 29 to December 4 at the Edsa Shang Cineplex.
[Check out MMFF news, photos, videos and more]
